Author Archives: Hard Drive Recovery Group

Technology definitely made our lives so much more vibrant, colorful, and definitely more efficient. We can do so many things all at once now and we don’t even have to travel hundreds to thousands of miles to find work overseas when remote staff are hired regardless of what part of the world they are from as long as they can do the job right and on time. Distance is no longer an issue and aside from virtually erasing boredom from our dictionary, our tech faves have also somehow managed to ease the homesickness felt by individuals working abroad as they can now communicate with their loved ones anytime they want through video calls, where most platforms are often free as long as you have an Internet connection.

Unfortunately, our obsession with technology is not always rainbows and butterflies. There are a lot of awful things that can also go wrong if you aren’t that privy when it comes to using tech gadgets. Cybercriminals are just lurking in the most obscure of places waiting to pounce on unknowing individuals who happen to be in the wrong place and at the wrong time and with a gadget in hand. And since we love to frequent the web the most and make use of platforms where we can interact with other users, we likely have to build profiles like in most SNS or perhaps love the ease and convenience offered by online shopping so we can’t keep track anymore of the places on the web where we have an account with. And since these places deal with big data, they often make use of computer servers. However, that is where the danger lurks.

Mecklenburg County government has been paralyzed by an unknown computer hacker after a county employee unknowingly opened an email attachment Monday that unleashed spyware and a worm into the county’s computer system.

County manager Dena Diorio said Tuesday night that the hacker has essentially frozen the county’s electronic files. The hacker is seeking $23,000 for an encryption key that would release the files.

The hacker’s deadline: 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“The files on the servers are being held for ransom,” she said before a commissioners meeting Wednesday.

Diorio said the county is working with a third-party technology company to decide what to do. She said she is open to paying the ransom, which would be paid in bitcoin.

If you are not careful enough, you can easily fall prey to cybercrimes. Nowadays, malware is the most common way these virtual criminals disrupt the natural world order. Ransomware is the most common. Just this year alone, they were able to cripple nations, governments, and various organizations. Unknowingly opening a suspicious email is usually what it takes for the bug to corrupt your system and render your device useless and your data lost forever. It is even more costly when big servers are targeted because the extent of the damage can be extensive. While these facilities where computer servers are housed are often safe and secure, breaches can happen and even Amazon was a victim of that just this year.

A US-based man has pleaded guilty to creating a giant botnet that was used to disrupt access to much of the web in October 2016.

The Mirai malware also caused havoc later last year when it was used to stop people’s internet routers working.

Paras Jha has admitted working with others to infect more than 300,000 devices and using them to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and other criminal activity.

There are many ways for criminals to hack any system and leave everyone lost and in a panic. Imagine a widespread ransomware attack on big servers of famous sites can ever leave that specific down for an unspecified period of time, data in their server compromised, and even the remote gadgets connecting to them at that time infected as well. The damage is twice as hard, painful, and costly for people and organizations that lost their devices due to encryption, for instance, and no longer has access to pertinent files that are crucial to their business’ operation. For ransomware, they prefer payment in bitcoins because they no longer need to go to banks to get their hands on the money. Indeed, modern innovations can be modern pains as well.

Well, since these things happen no matter how much security measures big servers use in order to protect itself from cyber hackers, why not learn more about data recovery on these devices so you have an idea whether or not you can still get your data back after such a massive and widespread attack. These articles https://www.harddriverecovery.org/clean_room.html and https://www.harddriverecovery.org/server-recovery/ may be helpful to enlighten everyone about the process regarding recovering your data in light of such an unfortunate incident that is now becoming more common in today’s modern world.

Since technology is basically embedded into the very fabric of our life today, you are also forced to take the pros along with the cons. In every technology or device you are using, it can be a delight to you and make your life easier and more fun but it can also drive you crazy once it starts to malfunction. Aside from smartphones, the computer is one of the most commonly used tech device these days. It actually came first than smartphones but had to take the backseat for a while as smart technology transformed our lives and we can do more with our handy and sleek gadgets that connect us to the web that let us do a multitude of other cool things.

Computers are still useful in work, business or in just about every other institution as they do the bulk of the work needed to run this highly digital world we live in. It is quite rare to see businesses or offices doing work manually today. Most have computers or a similar device doing it for them. It is not only convenient but it is basically how things work now. These data can be stored and shared in just about every online platform available and by automating, it can take your business to new heights and unlimited potential for progress. Unfortunately as already mentioned, the technology is not perfect especially that there are crooks that don’t stop in finding loopholes in existing systems in order to steal people’s data, money, and even identity.

While the popular belief that Macs are not plagued by malware or threats is deeply rooted in the minds of many Apple users, our security experts debunked that myth long ago by pinpointing information-stealing Trojans, ransomware, aggressive adware, and even advanced persistent threats specifically designed for Macs. While it’s true that the volume of Mac malware is lower than those targeting Windows-based systems, there has been an increased proliferation of threats tailored to Apple devices.

And many of those threats are coming from just a few sources. Almost 11% of all threats reported for Mac users during the first three quarters of 2017 involve an aggressive adware Trojan usually bundled with legitimate software, Trojan.GenericKD.

Once installed, it hooks deep into the system and starts hijacking browser traffic and interfering with the overall user experience. While technically not a virus, it exhibits many similar traits.

Apple is considered as one of the pioneers in computer innovation and their Mac computer line is believed to be almost immune to any cyber bugs or attacks. Well, it’s a myth that’s about to be debunked as we gradually come across with all sorts of problems that involves Mac leaving millions of its users frustrated. Trojan is the most common issue that they have to deal with and there are others that follow suit. The presence of these Mac bugs prove only one thing – your Mac is not your safe haven. Your data is not safe. You need to safeguard it all the time or you might find yourself searching for Mac data recovery services like this: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/mac-data-recovery/.

Most garden-variety Mac threats involve applications designed to covertly collect sensitive user data by bundling themselves with legitimate applications, such as browser plugins or toolbars. But they should not be disregarded as minor threats. These threats can hijack user browser traffic and redirect users to – at best – ad-serving websites—but they could also steer users to more pervasive websites designed to covertly install backdoor Trojans by exploiting various system or browser vulnerabilities.

These “generic” Trojans are usually designed to generate revenue for attackers by tricking victims into clicking ads to which attackers have some sort of affiliation. However, some threats simply collect private user information, such as authentication credentials and cookies, and broadcast them to attackers.

The damage is not only limited to stealing your information but it is even possible for them to make a backdoor connection to your device and manipulate it remotely. It is really scary knowing they have that much power and control over your device without you knowing at all. This is really scary especially that most homes, for instance, in America, have automated security devices in place. Criminals can easily bypass the system and break into your home if they can manage to get into your security system first because of these tech glitches.

The reason why there are more Apple hacks today is that criminals are finally realizing just how lucrative it is if they can also tap into Apple devices user and not just focus on the multitude that are using Windows gadgets. Everyone is a potential victim, so please safeguard your devices because it holds so much information that can make or break your life. Businesses can spare themselves the trouble of looking into services like http://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html if they can put into place security measures that can detect and prevent any suspicious activity that can compromise your data and everything else your computers hold, whether it is a Mac or a Windows one.

When it comes to technology, new is always better. These gadgets have the sleekest look and the best features yet there is a big catch, they may come at a hefty price too. And when it comes to computers, nothing beats the cream of the crop, the Apple computers. Macs are often used by the rich and the affluent and they have a loyal user-base who started using their products from their early days until now when they have established themselves as a mega mammoth in the tech industry. If you are already a Mac user looking for an upgrade or a new one wondering what it is like to use an Apple computing device for a change, you surely won’t be disappointed with the new Apple line up.

You will definitely get what you asked for: a sleek device that truly delivers in terms of performance. While not problem free, it is easy to spot a Mac desktop from afar because it screams expensive and posh just by looking at it knowing that Apple did not compromise any of its inner workings. This is especially timely as people now have more use for their devices rather than just simply surfing the web and updating their social media accounts but as a tool in doing productive work whether in the office or at home. We live in a day and age when everything is almost digital and people flock to the web like flies to honey.

Apple announced the iMac Pro in June. The company called this “the most powerful Mac ever.”

The introduction was seen as a gesture of solidarity with its long-term desktop users who had started migrating to other platforms in response to the glacial pace of desktop Mac upgrades. Apple has also promised a vastly improved Mac Pro machine next year.

Three leaked Geekbench speed benchmarks of what appear to be Apple-customized Intel Xeon chips suggest these pro iMacs will deliver substantial performance gains, even when compared to high-end PCs from other manufacturers.

The fastest (10-core) model achieved 5,345 in single-core tests and 35,917 for multi-core performance. That’s at least 41 percent faster than the current high-end iMac. (Which, incidentally, was no slouch when I tested it earlier this year.)

Apple understands how much sales have fallen in the PC department and it affects all PC manufacturers without exception. By offering desktop computers that aren’t just eye candy but totally efficient and multifunctional, they can stand out from the crowd and give consumers new reasons to choose a desktop over a laptop any time of the day. Apple is making all of us realize that we should be investing in high-quality equipment that allows us to do everything we need because we deserve nothing less.

When it comes to actual scores, the 8-core iMac Pro averages at 23,536 in multi-core tests, making it the highest performance of any iMac ever, nearly 22% faster than the top-of-the-line 5K iMac.

The 10-core iMac does even better, reaching a multi-core score of 35,917, some 41% better than the high-end Mac Pro featuring a 12-core Xeon E5 processor. The single-core result, 5,345, is faster than all but the highest 5K iMac released this year.

If that’s not enough, then you should remember that Apple will also have an 18-core iMac Pro on sale this December, but that model was not benchmarked yet.

By now it’s probably clear to you just how superior Apple computers are over its Window counterparts although we all know that at times, it all boils down to user preference as well. Some have been so used to using Windows computers that they may feel uneasy navigating MacOS especially that the two are like poles apart as to what’s inside their hardware. But if you are someone who won’t hesitate giving an Apple computer the time of the day, now is the best time to buy one with all the cool upgrades these gadgets now have. Moreover, Mac computers rarely experience getting ransomware attacks so you can spare yourself from the usual tech problems that require such services: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/mac-data-recovery/ or http://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html.

The world is full of surprises. Everywhere you look, there is always a new technology meant to amaze you. Technology keeps on moving forward and there is no stopping it even if you are the type of person to ignore technology in your life. Modern advancements continue to be developed throughout the world and mankind waits in anticipation for the next big tech breakthrough to hit the market. Who would’ve thought humans will eventually be slaves of their smart gadgets? Almost everyone owns one now and they keep tinkering with it 24/7 up to the point that they even lose sleep because of their intense #FOMO or fear of missing out especially on social media.

We can only expect things to get more outrageous as the years go by. You think smartgadgets are the end of it? I’m afraid not. There are artificial intelligence and quantum computing to watch out for. And to bring more excitement to our lives, futuristic computer hardware will no longer be the sleek boxy–type we see today. You won’t have a need for them as the computer you’ll be using will be your very own desk. Mind. Blown. I. Know. It’s what experts call the digital desk and it is similar to any metal workstation we are seeing now except that it can do a lot of crazy stuff like what your current computer can do and even more.

IN THE EARLY 1990s, Xerox Parc researchers showed off a futuristic concept they called the Digital Desk. It looked like any other metal workstation, aside from the unusual setup that hovered overhead. Two video cameras hung from a rig above the desk, capturing the every movement of the person sitting at it. Next to the cameras, a projector cast the glowing screen of a computer onto the furniture’s surface.

Using Xerox’s desk, people could do crazy things like highlight paragraphs of text on a book and drag the words onto an electronic word document. Filing expenses was as easy as touching a stylus to a receipt and dragging the numbers into a digital spreadsheet. Suddenly, the lines between the physical world and digital one were blurred. People no longer needed a keyboard, mouse, and screen to harness a computer’s power; all they had to do was sit down and the computer would appear in front of them.

Despite its novelty—or maybe because of it—the Digital Desk never took off. Technology moved in the opposite direction; towards the glassy, self-contained boxes of smartphones, tablets, and laptops. But researchers never gave up on the vision, and now more than 35 years later, these half-digital, half-physical workspaces might actually make sense.

You’ll no longer be limited to what your screen can offer because you have your entire desk to utilize as you please. Desktopography will likely be the future that’s awaiting us on the use of technology at a personal level. It’s like smart technology right now that makes use of touch screen but on an entirely different medium. Researchers are already working on it today, so maybe we can already include it in our wishlist several years from now.

The idea of building a computer that uses light rather than electricity goes back more than half a century. “Optical computing” has long promised faster performance while consuming much less energy than conventional electronic computers. The prospect of a practical optical computer has languished, however, as scientists have struggled to make the light-based components needed to outshine existing computers. Despite these setbacks, optical computers might now get a fresh start—researchers are testing a new type of photonic computer chip, which could pave the way for artificially intelligent devices as smart as self-driving cars, but small enough to fit in one’s pocket.

A conventional computer relies on electronic circuits that switch one another on and off in a dance carefully choreographed to correspond to, say, the multiplication of two numbers. Optical computing follows a similar principle, but instead of streams of electrons, the calculations are performed by beams of photons that interact with one another and with guiding components such as lenses and beam splitters. Unlike electrons, which must flow through twists and turns of circuitry against a tide of resistance, photons have no mass, travel at light-speed and draw no additional power once generated.

Fast-forward into the future and because of our dwindling natural resources, we have no choice but to tap renewable energy sources to fuel our many innovations. Optical computing is now being considered mainly because of its lower energy demands as compared to the gadgets we are using right now. The technology will also make use of light-based components to make it work. It may even be used to improve current AI developments to make them more sustainable and environment-friendly.

While many of these new technologies are still untested, they are already in the works in various testing labs across the globe that will help determine the course mankind will take in the future. For the meantime, we are stuck with age-old tech dilemmas like data and hard drive recovery that has plagued computer users for quite a while now. But there’s no reason to fret for we are here to extend professional assistance to these technical issues. For problems concerning data recovery, hope this helps enlighten you: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/data-recovery-tools/. For hard drive recovery, try this one instead: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/how-to-choose-a-hard-drive-recovery-service/. Feel free to give us a call for any problem involving the two and we assure you of our expert assistance at a reasonable price.

Ransomware attacks are happening quite often now that many businessmen and even world leaders are worried about its disastrous consequences to society. Cyber criminals are becoming more brazen in carrying out these attacks and the latest string of attacks not only annoyed individual computer users but attacked various servers throughout the world making the discomfort and disruption felt on a global scale.

From its humble beginnings in Ukraine, a new cyber malware spread across the globe just recently and infected computers from different corners of the world. From a simple download of a famous tax accounting package or a peek at a local news website, this web virus stealthily infected Ukranian computers before going farther. And similar to the WannaCry attack, this new bug demanded a $300 ransom in bitcoins forcing 30 unfortunate victims to shell out the money in the hopes of getting their data back.

A ransomware attack hit computers across the world on Tuesday, taking out servers at Russia‘s biggest oil company, disrupting operations at Ukrainian banks, and shutting down computers at multinational shipping and advertising firms.

Cyber security experts said those behind the attack appeared to have exploited the same type of hacking tool used in the WannaCry ransomware attack that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in May before a British researcher created a kill-switch.

“It’s like WannaCry all over again,” said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with Helsinki-based cyber security firm F-Secure.

He said he expected the outbreak to spread in the Americas as workers turned on vulnerable machines, allowing the virus to attack. “This could hit the U.S.A. pretty bad,” he said.

Cyber attacks like this one are becoming a common occurrence as cyber criminals become more adept in breaking down defensive barriers of most computers. It’s even worse when computer servers are hit because of the possible extent of the damage. Knowing how globally interconnected everyone in the globe is right now, it is no longer surprising for a simple cyber attack like this to go global in just a few hours.

Ukrainian police on Tuesday seized the servers of an accounting software firm suspected of spreading a malware virus which crippled computer systems at major companies around the world last week, a senior police official said.

The head of Ukraine‘s Cyber Police, Serhiy Demedyuk, told Reuters the servers of M.E.Doc – Ukraine‘s most popular accounting software – had been seized as part of an investigation into the attack.

Though they are still trying to establish who was behind last week’s attack, Ukrainian intelligence officials and security firms have said some of the initial infections were spread via a malicious update issued by M.E.Doc, charges the company’s owners deny.

The owners were not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

Premium Service, which says it is an official dealer of M.E.Doc’s software, wrote a post on M.E.Doc’s Facebook page saying masked men were searching M.E.Doc’s offices and that the software firm’s servers and services were down.

Following the said attack that originated in Ukraine, the police now have in custody the servers of the alleged accounting software firm that facilitated the spread of the malware and are currently being investigated considering how disastrous this attack has been. Police Intel says that pro hackers have already been planning the attack for months and were the ones who introduced the vulnerability into the firm’s program. In an effort to help affected individuals or organizations cope with this disaster, the Ukranian government extended its tax deadline so the victims have more time to prepare the necessary documents they just lost.

Backing up your data is a must knowing that these ransomware attacks are just lurking somewhere and patiently waiting for an opportune time to strike. If you feel that it is too tedious for you, though, just prepare yourself for potential problems involving data recovery: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/clean_room.html because you’ll likely have to deal with it if you are using an outdated system.

For bigger and older model servers, they are the perfect recipe to make these ransomware attacks a reality because of their many vulnerabilities. Once your server gets hit and it’s a RAID server, read about http://www.harddriverecovery.org/server-recovery/ to find out how you can bounce back from this unfortunate situation. It’s no longer an option to be complacent anymore because cyber criminals are more aggressive than ever. Learn to protect your device or risk paying for our professional (yet affordable) services to get you out of this mess.

The Millennials are probably the biggest spenders these days and their purchasing power is expected to continue as they age. A.k.a. the Generation Y, the Millennials are individuals born in the early 80s until the late 90s to early 2000s. They are often the offspring of older Generation X adults and baby boomers and grew up in a culture of technological progress. Millennials made social media the force it is today because they are comfortable in using it after being exposed to technology at a young age. They are the ones who grew up watching cable television and then came the World Wide Web and the birth of smart technology.

In one survey, 83% of millennials answered that they sleep with their smartphones. That’s how inseparable they are from their gadgets. They are used to living in their virtual life before zoning out and then coming back to reality. Many can’t live without 24/7 access to the Internet and are more likely to log into their various social media accounts on a daily basis too. Facebook happens to be their social media channel of choice and most of them access it on their smartphone rather than on computers or laptops. Aside from using the web to connect with friends, millennials have various uses for the Internet and it involves banking, shopping, business, etc.

The Finnish-based home of Nokia phones – unveiled the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 handsets in Sydney on Tuesday before they hit stores in late-July retailing at a cost of $249, $329 and $399 respectively.

“It’s our ambition to be a top global smartphone player within three to five years,” HMD ANZ’s general manager Mark Trundle told AAP at the launch.

“In order to do that, we need to resonate with a new audience.”

Microsoft originally acquired the Nokia brand in 2014, producing Nokia Lumia and Nokia Asha handsets, however HMD Global secured a 10-year deal in 2016 to make Nokia-branded smartphones and tablets.

“We believe the millennial generation are the influencer generation of any age group so that’s where we’re going to put a lot of focus … ensuring that they fall in love with the Nokia brand again,” Mr Trundle said.

The people from Nokia got it right about millennials. Millennials mainly dictate trends that go around these days and if they can catch their attention, they won’t have a hard time gaining the thumbs-up of other age groups too. After all, Nokia was what started the mobile trend in the past and they may be able to have a shot again at making it big in the smartphone business with the help of tech-savvy millennials who definitely know what they want when it comes to their go-to smartphone.

Nokia is back and it is making some compelling offers with the Nokia 3, 5 and 6 smartphones that include pure Android and two years of security and feature updates – and the unforgettable Nokia ring tone.

Cast you mind back to the 90s when it was a “Nokia” or nothing. Remember its amazing reliability, quality, and keen pricing. Then remember when Microsoft bought the Finnish phone company and finished it.

It has been reborn with a Finnish CEO Arto Nummela and about 600 enthusiasts, many formerly Nokia staff that love the brand and is bringing three models of smartphone to Australia in July.

Nummela said, “People just fell in love with the brand and what it stands for. Its new owner HMD is a startup that shares the original Nokia passion. It is the people’s brand, a trusted brand, and we have to protect that.”

The new Nokia smartphones are very different from earlier Nokia smartphone models released years ago. It’s a testament that under a new management, they’ll be able to revive the Nokia brand and regain the market they once lost to Apple and Samsung. Millennials may get nostalgic over these new phones and buy them as soon as they hit the shelves and that’s exactly the goal of the people behind Nokia today. After all, most Millennials grew up with a Nokia in their hand. If they like the new Nokia today, it’s still highly possible for the new Nokia smartphones to become the household name that it once was and dominate the smartphone scene once more.

Aside from smartphones, computers are also crucial to our lives. Unfortunately, they can also fail us at times and it is more costly than just a smartphone. Most tech issues often point to the hard drive. So, arm yourself with the knowledge you need about hard drive recovery do’s and don’ts here: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/hard-drive-failure-recovery-three-major-user-mistakes/ to limit the damage and pay less for recovery. Although not necessarily a must-know, it helps to learn about http://www.harddriverecovery.org/clean_room.html so you have an idea if you are working with a legit pro who knows how to do their job right and you are not being swindled for your hard-earned money. Millennials won’t have a hard time understanding this, so take your cue from them and learn to embrace technology because they are here to stay for good.

People can get into a fit when they lose their precious data. Whether it is a photo from a decade ago or your favorite song/movie compilation to really important files and personal documents, your world comes crashing down when you can’t access it anymore. That’s when you realize how important these data are in your life and losing them can have a negative effect on the course your life will take. So now, you make your way to learn more about data recovery if you still want to have your files back or regret not doing so while you still can.

A hard disk failure is often the main reason why data loss happens. At times it can be a system crash or some other unknown cause that caused your data to get lost in the virtual world. At times it’s just the hard drive you can’t reach but it can also be a computer that’s no longer accessible giving you more headache than you can take. But no reason to fully panic just yet because there is still a slim chance you can get your data back if you just know what to do. With the help of some data recovery software or through the expert assistance of a hard drive recovery professional, you’d still be able to retrieve those lost files once more.

When a business of any size encounters a “blackout”, they lose access to the most precious company resource – data. Companies run on data, and firms that don’t want to lose customers or damage their brand should have a process in place for recovering from data loss and quickly moving forward. Thankfully, businesses can take steps to proactively lessen the chance of complete data blackout.

Develop a Detailed Plan

The first move companies should take to protect against a data blackout is to develop a plan. The plan should answer the big questions – what data do we have; where is it; who controls it? Creating a plan forces staff at all levels to think about data as an asset and their role in protecting data. The plan should not only dictate how data is stored and secured, but also categorize the information, for example by separating static data from fluidly-changing data.

There are various causes as to why data loss happens. Accidental or permanent deletions, unrecognized formats, corrupt documents, and many more can leave you data-less for a while or for the long haul. Data loss can have catastrophic effects when it involves important personal/school/work files or documents that you don’t have any backup copy yet. However, data recovery isn’t a laughing matter because one small mistake can cause you all your valuable files, so you have to be doubly careful too when considering this option.

But even so, the risk of losing information persists due to various accidents or problems that can appear. In cases like this, having a handy data recovery software at your disposal can be crucial. Despite their significant importance and how much help they can provide, data recovery tools at overlooked by users of all statures that are afraid of the costs these would imply. However, they are not aware that they can get quality services for free. Free data recovery software is available and can provide tremendous assistance when important files and data seem to be lost forever.

Recovery tools operate by scanning your system and accessing the database which contains all information, old and new. Even if you erase a file, it will still linger in the database. From here, it can be extracted with data recovery software and brought back where it can be accessed and manipulated.

Data recovery isn’t just a personal or corporate issue because it can likewise be helpful in solving a crime like in forensics. Many times criminal suspects intentionally destroy properties to get rid of evidence especially the ones stored in computers. But through data recovery services, crimes are solved and the perpetrators of the crimes are put behind bars as valuable data are recovered that may be used in aid of prosecution. And the cheapest way to recover lost files is through a data recovery service.

Since it is the hard drive that is often the culprit why you suddenly can’t access files stored in your computer or laptop anymore, one of the most common recovery services you can tap is a hard drive recovery service. Check this: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/pricing.html out to find out how much such a service will cost you, so you don’t get ripped off of your hard-earned money by notorious scammers. Meanwhile, learn more about prices for a RAID recovery service: http://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-pricing.html for business owners or organizations that still use this older server model in their operations. Data recovery services aren’t always cheap but it’s better to spend a little more on these services than say goodbye to your one-of-a-kind data forever.

Technology can leave many people dazed and confused at times because of the numerous technical aspects of this industry. Computers, for instance, are the highlight but there are many other components that are just as important as the end product. We have different uses for computers. It is helpful in doing administrative and clerical tasks in any institution or workplace, even at school. You can surf the web with it and discover all the wonderful things that the Internet has to offer – from social media to the many good things you can use if you are an entrepreneur who wants to take your business to the next level.

Data is a big thing. From photos to videos to important life-changing documents stashed somewhere on your PC’s hard drive, you want 24/7 access to them for when the need arises. And most of the time, your computer cooperates and makes life easy for you. Unfortunately, there is that slim chance when your hard drive will fail you and you can no longer access these precious data you can’t live without. When that happens, data recovery may be your best bet although it’s not a 100% assurance that you can really get your data back. Hence, be wary and observant all the time because there are telltale signs that your computer may be going on a hibernate mode sooner rather than later.

WARNINGS

With almost every component in your PC, you’ll see warning signs of a part going bad and in need of replacement. The hard drive is not an exception. Here are some signs to look out for:

Disappearing files: Files can be lost do to mechanical problems with the disk itself, and in some cases, you’ll be able to tell as the disk usually makes some out-of-the-ordinary noises when things are going haywire.

Computer freezing: A computer freezing is a common occurrence, and it’s almost always solved by a quick reboot. However, if you find that that it’s becoming more and more frequent, your hard drive could be on its last leg.

Corrupted data: If you’ve downloaded and installed files without a hitch, but suddenly out of nowhere, files have become corrupt, it’s possible that your hard drive is experiencing a gradual failure.

Bad sectors: A sector on a hard drive stores a certain amount of data accessible by the user. There are two types of sectors, a hard and soft sector. In most cases, Windows is able to repair a soft bad sector, as it’s almost always related to a software mishap. Formatting the drive will almost always fix this. But, if it’s a hard bad sector, this indicates physical damage, which can not be repaired.

Your hard drive may have bad, corrupted, or damaged sectors preventing you from gaining access to files/data stored within. You may be able to remedy such a situation but a mechanical hard drive failure is almost always a lost cause. Fortunately, the warning signs mentioned above can give you an idea of the state of your hard drive’s health and whether there is a reason for you to worry at all.

Running Chkdsk on an Unbootable Hard Drive

If you are unable to reach the Windows 10 desktop, you can try booting into the Windows 10 recovery environment, launch the command prompt, then schedule chkdsk there.

Turn your computer on and off three times while booting. Make sure you shut down the computer when you see the Windows logo. After the third time, Windows 10 will boot into diagnostics mode. Click Advanced options when the recovery screen appears. Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options then click Command Prompt. Proceed to enter the chkdskcommands: chkdsk /r /f then hit <Enter>.

What if you are not able to boot into Windows 10 at all? Some manufacturers include drive checking tools built into the computer’s BIOS. On my HP desktop, I was able to initiate the hard drive self-testing utility called Drive Protection System (DPS) Self Test.

If you are a Windows user and you have upgraded to the latest Windows 10 OS, those tips were just some quick ways to find out how well your hard drive is doing. You can see its overall status to give you an idea whether it will fail you anytime soon. So to spare yourself from the hassles of data recovery, better to back up your data now while you still can access it rather than panic when the day comes that it’s no longer accessible on your drive.

Data makes the world go round. Most of us don’t realize it yet but that is the hard-hitting truth. Data is precious that we’d move heaven and earth to get it back once we lose it whatever the reason may be. However, dealing with technology is a tricky matter. One simple mistake can wipe out all your data in an instant and there is no other way for you to get it back. People often panic right away when they can’t access their hard drive especially when they need to find something in that instant. But panicking often leads to more costly mistakes that were avoidable if you only stayed level-headed the entire time.

The most common cause for hard drive failure is software-related and the second one does not have anything to do with you but on the hard drive itself. However, you should not just mess up with hard drives if you have no idea what you are doing because you might inflict more damage than what was previously. There are different ways to fixing it depending on the extent and the nature of the problem. But should you take your chance in fixing it to save a few dollars? It’s up to you on how confident you are on your technical skills but here are some DIY tips for the brave at heart.

Some less technical and slightly more unconventional DIY recovery process that are also becoming a popular safety net in the event of data loss or hard drive failure are home remedies. The oldest trick in the book is the constant restarting of the device in the hope that it will fix itself. The repeated rebooting may actually cause further damage. We always recommend stopping using the device but it is best practice to switch off (once) and call a reputable computer repair or data recovery company.

It can get a bit more extreme than that though. An urban legend once said that leaving your hard drive in the freezer or refrigerator will fix it. This is not true at all. By doing this the only thing that you will achieve is a frozen and broken hard drive. Other comical home myths include hanging your device out ‘to dry’ if liquid gets in, leaving your device is rice to draw the liquid out (although this won’t cause further damage it also will not solve the issue), and lastly leaving a device in an airing cupboard (this may in fact contribute to the damage due to the humidity in this environment).

We cannot deny that we have all been there when we panic to try and save our data and deciphering whether a myth will actually help get it back or make the situation worse is always difficult. It is our natural reaction to do all that we can to help save our data but, like the technical DIY ‘fixes’, sometimes this can cause more harm than good.

Attempting a DIY approach to a hard drive failure problem also depends on the amount and type of data stored within. If they aren’t that precious to you and you don’t mind losing them in the unfortunate circumstance of your attempt going haywire, then feel free to open it up and fix it to the best of your ability.

If you want to spare yourself from all the hassles of data recovery at all, make sure you backup your data so you won’t go crazy if you can’t access the original file on your PC. You can always get to your backup file especially when the time is of the essence. Remember that prevention is better than cure and it does not only apply to your health but to technology too.

DIY methods

When you’ve lost data, it’s very tempting to take matters into your own hands and attempt to do something yourself. While it might seem like a good idea at the time, DIY methods can often lead to further accidental damage and even permanent data loss. Instead of using DIY methods try contacting your IT specialist or reputable data recovery specialist first – a good provider will give you all of the options based on the situation and advise if it is safe for you to try DIY software methods. If you’d like more information about why DIY data recovery can be a bad idea, check out this article.

Open your hard drive

Last but not least, you should never attempt to open your device yourself. Unless you are an experienced data recovery specialist in a cleanroom environment, you are almost always going to cause more damage, no matter how careful you are. For spinning hard drives, even microscopic dust particles can have a catastrophic effect on your device and can destroy data that could have been saved by a professional. Like many DIY methods, it’s tempting to try them, but this is something you should always leave for the specialists.

Refrain from panicking once you realize your data is lost. That is the first rule you have to keep in mind. What you should do is to assess the situation and try to remember what warning signals have you failed to recognize in the last few days. You are only advised to dabble with DIY solutions to hard drive failure if you somehow have a basic understanding of computers especially that of hard drive systems. If you don’t, it is almost always better to consult a professional who can get to the bottom of the issue with no sweat at all.

Professional assistance comes at a price, though. Not everyone charges the same and you might end up dealing with scammers who are only interested in your money rather than in helping you at all. Check out this link http://www.harddriverecovery.org/pricing.html to find out more about data recovery pricing, so you don’t get duped in case you encounter this problem in the future. For RAID recovery, http://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-pricing.html may come in handy. If you want professional help without breaking the bank, just give us a call and we’ll be there to help you get your lost data back.

We live in a generation ruled by smartphones and smart gadgets. We live and breathe the Internet every single day of our lives. You can hardly see anyone who hasn’t been bitten by social media just yet. From the young to the old, we all likely have an existing social media account and dedicate time for it almost every day to stay updated on the trending news and featured stories in the Internet of Things.

Wherever you are in the world, you’d likely see people obsessed with their smartphones and smart gadgets. It’s a given. They tinker with it every day and can’t live without it. It actually is an understatement considering how hooked almost everyone are with it. Apple may have introduced this smart technology to the world but many companies have now joined in on the bandwagon and have released their own versions of smartphones that are supposed to equal the sophistication of a an iOS smartphone or provide the flexibility and mass appeal of its Android version.

Huawei, the Chinese smartphone maker, is closing in on Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Samsung Electronics (SSNFL) in the smartphone market, narrowing the gap in sales during the first quarter of this year.
That’s according to research firm Gartner, which is out with a new report looking at sales of mobile phones for the first three months of 2017. While Samsung took back the top spot with unit shipments of 78.7 million and Apple was in second with close to 52 million units shipped, Huawei was growing closer with 34.2 million units shipped, controlling 9% of the market. That compares to 8.3% share for Huawei in the year-ago first quarter. Samsung holds a 20.7% market share while Apple is at 13.7%, according to the research firm.

“The top three Chinese smartphone manufacturers are driving sales with their competitively priced, high quality smartphones equipped with innovative features,” said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner, in a press release introducing the research. “Furthermore, aggressive marketing and sales promotion have further helped these brands to take share from other brands in markets such as India, Indonesia and Thailand.”

There is still continued growth in the sales of smartphone units all over the globe. People these days are looking for a smart gadget that offer various features that fit their changing lifestyle, something only a smart device can offer. Even the older population own a smart gadget too mainly to stay connected with family and close friends but many of them aren’t willing to spend a fortune unlike their younger counterparts. Hence, Chinese smartphones are the excellent choice because they offer the same features at a fraction of the price. Many people are also noticing how these Chinese counterparts are almost at par with the Western originals, hence the increase in sales in Chinese smartphone units.

Apple and Samsung are fast losing share in the smartphone market to a group of Chinese upstart ­rivals that now account for nearly a quarter of all global sales.

New figures from Gartner, the research group, suggest that to maintain growth Apple and Samsung are having to rely on replacement sales to existing customers in mature markets, as new users in emerging markets turn to cheaper Chinese rivals.

Gartner research director Anshul Gupta said consumers in China and emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific no longer saw the need to spend $US800 ($1000) on an iPhone now that there were high-quality alternatives available at less than half the price.

“For Apple it’s no longer about targeting first-time, entry-level customers, it’s about capturing the replacement market. The trick for them will be in finding ways to keep users of the iOS operating system tied to Apple,” he said.

Despite the continued growth in the smartphone industry, there is little growth on the two biggest names in this sector – Apple and Samsung. Chinese competitors are proving to be a big hurdle to their continued dominance in the industry as people are wiser now and would not just purchase an item simply because of its brand. For years now, we have all been witness to the steady rise of the Chinese superpower. They are the second largest and most powerful economy in the world next to the United States and most manufacturing firms have its roots in China. No wonder that most of the stuffs we buy have that tiny label in it that says, “Made in China”.